[ta.ran.tu.la] n, pl ta.ran.tu.las also ta.ran.tu.lae [ML, fr. OIt tarantola, fr. Taranto] (1561) 1: a European wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula) popularly held to be the cause of tarantism
2: any of a family (Theraphosidae) of large hairy American spiders that are typically rather sluggish and capable of biting sharply though most forms are not significantly poisonous to humans